POLICE in Ritavi, outside Tzaneen, have arrested a teacher after he allegedly burnt his estranged wife's house.

The incident allegedly happened at NkowaNkowa township in Limpopo. The couple were married in community of property and the 49-year-old teacher divorced his wife earlier this year.

This weekend he allegedly burnt down the house with all its contents. A car was among the burnt possessions.

The teacher, Mapoto Jonas Malungane, appeared briefly in the Ritavi magistrate's court yesterday on charges of arson, malicious damage to property and attempted murder.

He was released on R2000 bail and the case postponed to June 2.

He allegedly burnt down the house after the court ruled that he should move out of the property and leave everything to the woman.

Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Seth Magadzi said a 10-year-old child, who was in the house when it was set alight, was rescued by neighbours.

Magadzi said the damage was estimated at about R1million.

Meanwhile, police have opened a case of culpable homicide after a 61-year-old man was electrocuted when he walked over a live electric wire at the Mbambamecisi informal settlement outside NkowaNkowa at the weekend.

Magadzi said the man had been identified as Jonas Maake. He lived in the settlement.

He warned people in the area to stop connecting electricity illegally because it was dangerous to themselves and other people.

This was the fourth incident in which a person has died after being electrocuted due to illegalconnections of electricity in the area.